The Late Shift (film)
Encyclopedia
The Late Shift is a 1996 American TV movie produced by HBO. It is directed by Betty Thomas
and based on the book of the same name by The New York Times
media reporter Bill Carter.
(played by Rich Little
) from The Tonight Show
on NBC
in 1992.
Carson's frequent guest host, Jay Leno
(Daniel Roebuck
), and the host of the show that follows Carson's each night, David Letterman
(John Michael Higgins
), both vie for the position. It is widely assumed Letterman is the hand-picked heir apparent Carson favors, but privately NBC's executives speculate that Leno could be more popular with 11:30 p.m. audiences as well as easier for the network to deal with and control.
Leno's tough manager, Helen Kushnick
(Kathy Bates
), secures the spot for Leno with negotiating tactics that could be construed as either shrewd or unethical. Leno is concerned that her methods might alienate Carson, but he made promises to Kushnick after his career took off and does not wish to be disloyal. She harshly instructs the comic to just keep telling jokes and leave the business end to her.
Sure enough, she lands Leno the coveted job as Tonight Show host and the producer's position for herself, on the condition that no public announcement will be made. Letterman continues to believe he is still in contention for it. Another reason NBC's executives prefer Leno is that they will own the show, whereas Letterman maintains ownership rights to his.
Kushnick's abrasive and threatening manner angers Leno's bosses, colleagues and potential guests. The top NBC execs warn the mild-mannered Leno that they are going to fire Kushnick and, if he sides with her, he might be let go as well. Leno eavesdrops on a private executive meeting in which they discuss the possibility of having Letterman step in as host. The final say falls to the NBC president, Bob Wright, who decides that they should remain loyal to Leno.
Letterman, devastated by his being passed over, brings in superagent Mike Ovitz (Treat Williams
) to negotiate on his behalf, resulting in his being courted by a number of major networks and syndicates. He continues to want his lifelong dream of hosting the Tonight Show, but when a colleague of Carson's makes it clear that the Tonight job is no longer what it used to be and that he would be working with the same people who passed him by, Letterman accepts a lucrative offer to host his own 11:30 show on CBS
.
Kushnick is dismissed by NBC and barred from the set. She pleads with Leno to keep his promise to her, but he is livid that she nearly cost him a dream job. Letterman and Leno ultimately go head-to-head at 11:30, Letterman winning in the TV ratings in the beginning, then Leno firmly re-establishing his show's dominance. Their personal relationship, once cordial, is never quite the same.
nominations in categories including "Outstanding Made for Television Movie", makeup, casting, writing, directing, and acting. For her role in the film as Helen Kushnick, actress Kathy Bates won awards from the American Comedy Awards
, the Golden Globe Award
s, the Satellite Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards
. The film was also recognized with an award for "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials" from the Directors Guild of America Awards. David Letterman, who saw clips of the film, called the movie "the biggest waste of film since my wedding photos". He also likened John Michael Higgins's portrayal to that of a "psychotic chimp". Letterman invited Higgins onto his program, but Higgins declined.
against Bill Carter, author of the eponymous book upon which the HBO film was based, claiming libel. Specifically, her case related to a claim that she planted a story about Carson's retirement in the New York Post
. The then-pending lawsuit was noted in the film's epilogue, as the Broadway tune "There's No Business Like Show Business
" plays. The lawsuit settled out of court for an undisclosed sum; Kushnick died of cancer
in August 1996.
, which is based on the controversy
involving Jay Leno
, Conan O'Brien
, The Tonight Show
and NBC
. O'Brien joked on his final Tonight Show that he wants Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton
to portray him in the movie. Swinton responded by saying she would "absolutely" do it if asked.
Betty Thomas
Betty Thomas is an American actress and director in television and motion pictures.-Life and career:Born Betty Thomas Nienhauser in St. Louis, Missouri, Thomas graduated from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree...
and based on the book of the same name by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
media reporter Bill Carter.
Plot synopsis
Behind-the-scenes network politics embroil television executives responsible for late-night programming after the unexpected retirement announcement of Johnny CarsonJohnny Carson
John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
(played by Rich Little
Rich Little
Richard Caruthers "Rich" Little is a Canadian-American impressionist and voice actor. He has long been known throughout the world as a top impersonator of famous people, resulting in his nickname, "The Man of a Thousand Voices"....
) from The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in 1992.
Carson's frequent guest host, Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
(Daniel Roebuck
Daniel Roebuck
Daniel James Roebuck is an American television film actor, writer and producer, primarily in films, soap operas and television.-Life and career:...
), and the host of the show that follows Carson's each night, David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
(John Michael Higgins
John Michael Higgins
John Michael Higgins is an American actor whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's The Late Shift, and a starring role in the American version of Kath & Kim....
), both vie for the position. It is widely assumed Letterman is the hand-picked heir apparent Carson favors, but privately NBC's executives speculate that Leno could be more popular with 11:30 p.m. audiences as well as easier for the network to deal with and control.
Leno's tough manager, Helen Kushnick
Helen Kushnick
Helen Kushnick , born Helen Gorman in New York, was the agent of comedians Jimmie Walker, Elayne Boosler and Jay Leno for much of her early career...
(Kathy Bates
Kathy Bates
Kathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe...
), secures the spot for Leno with negotiating tactics that could be construed as either shrewd or unethical. Leno is concerned that her methods might alienate Carson, but he made promises to Kushnick after his career took off and does not wish to be disloyal. She harshly instructs the comic to just keep telling jokes and leave the business end to her.
Sure enough, she lands Leno the coveted job as Tonight Show host and the producer's position for herself, on the condition that no public announcement will be made. Letterman continues to believe he is still in contention for it. Another reason NBC's executives prefer Leno is that they will own the show, whereas Letterman maintains ownership rights to his.
Kushnick's abrasive and threatening manner angers Leno's bosses, colleagues and potential guests. The top NBC execs warn the mild-mannered Leno that they are going to fire Kushnick and, if he sides with her, he might be let go as well. Leno eavesdrops on a private executive meeting in which they discuss the possibility of having Letterman step in as host. The final say falls to the NBC president, Bob Wright, who decides that they should remain loyal to Leno.
Letterman, devastated by his being passed over, brings in superagent Mike Ovitz (Treat Williams
Treat Williams
Richard Treat Williams is a Screen Actors Guild Award–nominated American actor and children's book author who has appeared on film, stage and television...
) to negotiate on his behalf, resulting in his being courted by a number of major networks and syndicates. He continues to want his lifelong dream of hosting the Tonight Show, but when a colleague of Carson's makes it clear that the Tonight job is no longer what it used to be and that he would be working with the same people who passed him by, Letterman accepts a lucrative offer to host his own 11:30 show on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
.
Kushnick is dismissed by NBC and barred from the set. She pleads with Leno to keep his promise to her, but he is livid that she nearly cost him a dream job. Letterman and Leno ultimately go head-to-head at 11:30, Letterman winning in the TV ratings in the beginning, then Leno firmly re-establishing his show's dominance. Their personal relationship, once cordial, is never quite the same.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Kathy Bates Kathy Bates Kathleen Doyle "Kathy" Bates is an American actress and director.After several small roles in film and television, Bates rose to prominence with her performance in Misery , for which she won both the Academy Award for Best Actress and a Golden Globe... |
Helen Kushnick Helen Kushnick Helen Kushnick , born Helen Gorman in New York, was the agent of comedians Jimmie Walker, Elayne Boosler and Jay Leno for much of her early career... |
| John Michael Higgins John Michael Higgins John Michael Higgins is an American actor whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's The Late Shift, and a starring role in the American version of Kath & Kim.... |
David Letterman David Letterman David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC... |
| Daniel Roebuck Daniel Roebuck Daniel James Roebuck is an American television film actor, writer and producer, primarily in films, soap operas and television.-Life and career:... |
Jay Leno Jay Leno James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,... |
| Bob Balaban Bob Balaban Robert Elmer "Bob" Balaban is an American actor, author and director.-Personal life:Balaban was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Eleanor and Elmer Balaban, who owned several movie theatres and later was a pioneer in cable television... |
Warren Littlefield Warren Littlefield Warren W. Littlefield is an American former television executive.A protégé of Brandon Tartikoff, Littlefield developed Cheers, The Cosby Show, and The Golden Girls as senior and executive vice president of NBC Entertainment under Tartikoff... |
| Ed Begley, Jr. Ed Begley, Jr. Edward James "Ed" Begley, Jr. is an American actor and environmentalist. Begley has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He is best known for his role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich, on the television series St... |
Rod Perth |
| Peter Jurasik Peter Jurasik Peter Jurasik is an American actor known for his television roles as Londo Mollari in the 1990s science fiction series Babylon 5 and Sid the Snitch on the 1980s series Hill Street Blues and its short-lived spinoff Beverly Hills Buntz.-Career:Among Jurasik's guest appearances are an entomologist in... |
Howard Stringer Howard Stringer Sir Howard Stringer is a Welsh-born American businessman and the chairman, president and CEO of Sony Corporation.-Personal life:... |
| Reni Santoni Reni Santoni Reni Santoni is an American film, television and voice actor.Santoni was born in New York City of French and Spanish descent.He began his career in off-Broadway theatre... |
John Agoglia |
| John Kapelos John Kapelos John Kapelos is a Canadian actor from London, Ontario. He is best known for his portrayals of janitor Carl Reed in The Breakfast Club and Detective Donald Schanke in Forever Knight.... |
Robert Morton Robert Morton (producer) Robert "Morty" Morton is an American television producer most notable for his work as a producer and later co-executive producer of the NBC program Late Night with David Letterman.... |
| Steven Gilborn Steven Gilborn Steven Neil Gilborn was an American television and film actor.Gilborn was born in New Rochelle, New York. He attended Swarthmore College, where he was awarded a bachelor's degree in English and earned a Ph.D... |
Peter Lassally Peter Lassally Peter Lassally is a former Carson Productions executive who served as the executive producer of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Late Night with David Letterman, and the Late Show with David Letterman... |
| John Getz John Getz -Personal life:Getz, one of four children, was born in Davenport, Iowa, and grew up in the Mississippi River Valley. He began acting while attending the University of Iowa, where he helped found the Center for New Performing Arts... |
Brandon Tartikoff Brandon Tartikoff Brandon Tartikoff was a television executive who was credited with turning around NBC's low prime time reputation with such hit series as Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, ALF, Family Ties, The Cosby Show, Cheers, Seinfeld, Miami Vice, The Golden Girls, Knight Rider, The A-Team, St... |
| Lawrence Pressman Lawrence Pressman David M. Pressman, Senior is an American actor, probably best known for roles on Doogie Howser, M.D., Ladies Man, a recurring role on Profiler, the titular character on Mulligan's Stew and as a fictional scientist in the 1971 film The Hellstrom Chronicle.His first role was on the soap opera The... |
Bob Wright |
| Sandra Bernhard Sandra Bernhard Sandra Bernhard is an American comedian, singer, actress and author. She first gained attention in the late 1970s with her stand-up comedy in which she often bitterly critiques celebrity culture and political figures. Bernhard is number 97 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest standups of... |
Herself |
| Treat Williams Treat Williams Richard Treat Williams is a Screen Actors Guild Award–nominated American actor and children's book author who has appeared on film, stage and television... |
Michael Ovitz Michael Ovitz Michael S. Ovitz is an American talent agent who co-founded Creative Artists Agency in 1975 and served as its chairman until 1995. Ovitz later served as President of the Walt Disney Company from October 1995 to January 1997.... |
| Paul Elder | Rupert Murdoch Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate.... |
| Michael Fairman Michael Fairman Michael Fairman is an American actor, and writer best known for his various roles during his long career, which started when he was 31 years old... |
Michael Gartner Michael Gartner Michael Gartner is an American journalist and businessman. He was President of the Iowa Board of Regents. He is a graduate of Carleton College and the New York University School of Law.... |
| Ken Kragen Ken Kragen Ken Kragen is an author, speaker, non-profit consultant, TV & film producer and music manager.In 1985, he was instrumental in securing the talent that appeared on the fund-raising single and album We Are the World. Harry Belafonte, contacted Kragen, who was then managing Lionel Richie and Kenny... |
Himself |
| Aaron Lustig Aaron Lustig Aaron Lustig is an American film and television actor. He was nominated for an Emmy in 1997 for Best Supporting Actor as Tim Reid on The Young and the Restless, who he has also portrayed on The Bold and the Beautiful... |
Paul Shaffer Paul Shaffer Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:... |
| Kevin Scannell | Dick Ebersol Dick Ebersol Duncan "Dick" Ebersol is an American television executive and a senior adviser for . He had previously been the chairman of NBC Sports, producing large scale television events such as the Olympic Games and National Football League broadcasts.... |
| Edmund L. Shaff | Jack Welch Jack Welch John Francis "Jack" Welch, Jr. is an American chemical engineer, business executive, and author. He was Chairman and CEO of General Electric between 1981 and 2001... |
| Rich Little Rich Little Richard Caruthers "Rich" Little is a Canadian-American impressionist and voice actor. He has long been known throughout the world as a top impersonator of famous people, resulting in his nickname, "The Man of a Thousand Voices".... |
Johnny Carson Johnny Carson John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987... |
| Little Richard Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and... |
Himself |
Reception
The film received seven Emmy AwardEmmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nominations in categories including "Outstanding Made for Television Movie", makeup, casting, writing, directing, and acting. For her role in the film as Helen Kushnick, actress Kathy Bates won awards from the American Comedy Awards
American Comedy Awards
The American Comedy Awards were a group of awards presented annually in the United States from 1987 to 2001 recognizing performances and performers in the field of comedy, with an emphasis on television comedy and comedy films...
, the Golden Globe Award
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
s, the Satellite Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards
Screen Actors Guild Awards
A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"...
. The film was also recognized with an award for "Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials" from the Directors Guild of America Awards. David Letterman, who saw clips of the film, called the movie "the biggest waste of film since my wedding photos". He also likened John Michael Higgins's portrayal to that of a "psychotic chimp". Letterman invited Higgins onto his program, but Higgins declined.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Artios Award | Best Casting for TV Movie of the Week | Nancy Foy | Nominated |
| Emmy Award Emmy Award An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various... |
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Casting for a Miniseries or a Special | Nancy Foy, Phyllis Huffman | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing for a Miniseries or a Special | Betty Thomas | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup for a Miniseries or a Special | June Westmore, Monty Westmore, Sharin Helgestad, Del Acevedo, Matthew W. Mungle | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Miniseries or a Special | Bill Carter, George Armitage | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Made for Television Movie | Ivan Reitman, Joe Medjuck, Daniel Goldberg, Don Carmody | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special | Treat Williams | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special | Kathy Bates | Nominated | ||
| 1997 | American Comedy Award | Funniest Female Performer in a TV Special (Leading or Supporting) Network, Cable or Syndication | Kathy Bates | Won |
| DGA Award | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials | Betty Thomas, Jake Jacobson, Richard Graves, Robert Lorenz | Won | |
| Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV | Kathy Bates | Won | |
| Satellite Award | Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television | Kathy Bates | Won | |
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television | Treat Williams | Nominated | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries | Kathy Bates | Won | |
Lawsuit
Kushnick filed a $30 million lawsuitLawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against Bill Carter, author of the eponymous book upon which the HBO film was based, claiming libel. Specifically, her case related to a claim that she planted a story about Carson's retirement in the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
. The then-pending lawsuit was noted in the film's epilogue, as the Broadway tune "There's No Business Like Show Business
There's No Business Like Show Business
"There's No Business Like Show Business" is an Irving Berlin song, written for the musical Annie Get Your Gun and orchestrated by Ted Royal. The song, a slightly tongue-in-cheek salute to the glamor and excitement of a life in show business, is sung in the musical by members of Buffalo Bill's Wild...
" plays. The lawsuit settled out of court for an undisclosed sum; Kushnick died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in August 1996.
Sequel
Carter wrote a sequel to The Late Shift titled The War for Late NightThe War for Late Night
The War for Late Night: When Leno Went Early and Television Went Crazy is a 2010 non-fiction book written by The New York Times media reporter Bill Carter. It chronicles the 2010 conflict surrounding the American late-night talk show The Tonight Show involving Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno...
, which is based on the controversy
2010 Tonight Show conflict
In early 2010, American television network NBC and two of its late-night talk show hosts, Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno, engaged in a media and public relations conflict over the host and airtime of The Tonight Show, the network's long-running late night program...
involving Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
, Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
, The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. O'Brien joked on his final Tonight Show that he wants Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton
Tilda Swinton
Katherine Mathilda "Tilda" Swinton is a British actress known for both arthouse and mainstream films. She has appeared in a number of films including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Burn After Reading, The Beach, We Need to Talk About Kevin and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her...
to portray him in the movie. Swinton responded by saying she would "absolutely" do it if asked.